People: (Jesse Edward) Alfred Winterbourne (1906-1977)

Alf Winterbourne being presented with a retirement gift by Robert Ditchfield in 1971 (Photo credit: Terry F. Gooing)

Jesse Edward Alfred Winterbourne, known as Alf Winterbourne was born in Salisbury, and worked as an office clerk for several years before briefly enlisting in the Royal Marines, but left and went to the Royal Tank Corps before marrying in 1927 and moving north to Rotherham where he worked for the Mines Drainage Unit for 41 years from 1930-71.

His early work involved driving the SYMDC lorry between sites and contributing to winding work at pumping stations and old mine shafts.

South Yorkshire Mines Drainage Committee, weekly Timesheet for Alf Winterborne in June 1937 (Private Collection)

Together with his wife Lillian who worked as a caretaker and clerk for the SYMDC, he lived ‘at the office’ as it were, residing at Westfield House, Rawmarsh, in the large house where the Mines Drainage Unit offices were based.

Westfield House c. 1939 (from SYMDC Annual Report 1939)

Independent minded, Alf stood as a Conservative councillor in local elections to the Rawmarsh Urban District Council.